Cat Man Do
by TheArchivis
Summary: One of the scanners has a bug and Odd comes back from Lyoko in the body of his digital avatar. While Jeremie tries to fix it, the kids have to pass it off as a Halloween costume. And when XANA gets up to his old tricks, Odd has to defend the school costume party while the rest of the team books it to the Factory to deactivate the tower. Cover art by Kiwi Lee Scipio.
1. Cold Open

SCENE 1: COLD OPEN

EXT./LYOKO - MOUNTAIN SECTOR

Yumi, Aelita and Odd ride their vehicles towards an activated tower while pursued by a swarm of Hornets. Yumi and Aelita split the Overwing while Odd follows close behind on the Overboard. Aelita throws an energy field at one of the Hornets, Odd swerves to avoid the energy field as it misses its target. Odd grazes the Overwing as he turns around to aim at the Hornets. Odd cocks his wrist.

ODD  
Laser arrow!

Odd strafes the column, devirtualizing two of the Hornets and scattering the rest. Odd pulls up next to the Overwing.

YUMI  
Watch it! You nearly knocked us into the Digital Sea!

ODD  
And you two nearly hit me!

JEREMIE (O.S.)  
Focus on the mission. The activated tower is dead ahead and I have other things to do besides listen to you three bickering.

INT./FACTORY - SUPERCOMPUTER CONTROL ROOM

Jeremie sits in the command chair, furiously typing while Ulrich does battle with a Xanafied Kiwi in the background. Kiwi bites into a cord of exposed wiring and a red exclamation mark appears on one of the Supercomputer's side monitors. Jeremie does not notice.

EXT./LYOKO - MOUNTAIN SECTOR

Yumi, Aelita and Odd approach an activated tower at the end of a long, narrow platform. At the base of the tower, two Krabes and a Tarantula manifest from wireframe and begin firing up towards the vehicles.

ODD  
Looks like Xana sent us a seafood platter.

The Overboard gets hit by a laser and begins losing altitude as it flickers xin and out of existence beneath Odd's feet. Odd pulls into a dive and leaps off of the Overboard as it crashes into a Krabe and devirtualizes it on impact. Odd rolls and lands on the platform, then summons a shield and starts sparring with the Tarantula. Yumi and Aelita watch from a distance onboard the Overwing.

YUMI  
Get a running start, I'm going to help Odd clear out the tower.

Yumi brings the Overwing down near the ground. Aelita hops off and runs towards the tower as Yumi draws a fan and circles around the platform towards the battle. Yumi throws one of her fans at the remaining Krabe but it glances off of its shell. Yumi stretches her hand out to catch the fan but instead catches the attention of the Tarantula which turns and fires up at her. As Yumi swerves to avoid the incoming laser fire, her fan hits the bottom of the Overwing and destroys it. Odd devirtualizes the Tarantula while it's distracted. Noticing his fallen comrade tumbling through the infinite sky, Odd fires a laser arrow at Yumi, devirtualizing her before she can fall into the Digital Sea.

INT./FACTORY - SCANNER ROOM

Yumi steps out of a scanner and discovers that Ulrich's fight with Kiwi has moved into the scanner room. Kiwi is on top of Ulrich; his gnashing teeth barely held back by a metal pipe.

ULRICH  
If you're able I could really use some help over here!

Yumi grabs Kiwi off of Ulrich and tumbles to the ground as an electric current passes through the dog's body and into her's.

EXT./LYOKO - MOUNTAIN SECTOR

Aelita arrives at the tower as Odd runs circles around the last Krabe on all fours, causing it to trip over its own legs and fall off the edge of the platform. Odd gets up and gestures towards the tower.

ODD  
After you, princess.

Aelita runs into the tower.

INT./FACTORY - SCANNER ROOM

Yumi is still trying to pry Kiwi off of Ulrich, having taken Ulrich's overshirt and wrapped it around the possessed pup. As she finally starts to pry the dog away, the Eye of Xana fades from Kiwi's pupils and Yumi tumbles to the floor again as his grip on the pipe loosens. Ulrich gets to his feet as Kiwi begins whimpering in Yumi's arms.

INT./FACTORY - SUPERCOMPUTER CONTROL ROOM

Ulrich climbs up the ladder into the control room. The place is a wreck. Jeremie lies unconscious next to the command chair, a burn mark on the back of his turtleneck revealing that he received a pretty nasty shock from Kiwi. Ulrich puts on Jeremie's headset and sits down in the command chair.

EXT./LYOKO - MOUNTAIN SECTOR

Aelita runs out of the tower and meets back up with Odd.

AELITA  
Alright, Jeremie. We're ready for you to bring us back in.

They look up at the sky, nothing but silence.

ODD  
Einstein? Are you there?

ULRICH (O.S.)  
Einstein's out of commission. Aelita, can you walk me through it?

AELITA/ODD  
No!

ODD  
No offense, Ulrich, but you're not great with normal computers. We'll bring ourselves in.

Odd and Aelita face each other. Odd cocks his wrist and Aelita summons an energy field.

AELITA/ODD  
On three. One. Two-

They both fire and hit each other simultaneously, devirtualizing themselves.

INT./FACTORY - SCANNER ROOM

Yumi continues to comfort Kiwi, petting him while she sits leaning against one of the scanners. The other two scanners open. Aelita steps out and stifles a gasp as she sees Odd. Close-up on Yumi's face as her eyes go wide and Kiwi starts barking at what she sees.

INT./FACTORY - SUPERCOMPUTER CONTROL ROOM

Jeremie's POV; he slowly opens his eyes, watching a fuzzy purple thing flit in and out of his field of vision. Someone puts his glasses on his face and his eyes snap open as he sees Odd, in full Lyoko regalia, standing over him and waving his tail in his face. Jeremie nearly passes out again as Ulrich and Aelita help him up.

ODD  
Einstein, we've got a problem.

CUT TO OPENING TITLES


	2. Act 1

SCENE 2: FOUR-FINGERED HANDS AND A TAIL

INT./FACTORY - SUPERCOMPUTER CONTROL ROOM

The entire team gathers around Jeremie at the command chair as he looks at his monitor. He has the materialization program on one side of the screen and a wireframe of Odd's avatar on the other. The further in Jeremie gets, the more baffled he looks.

JEREMIE  
It's just not possible. There's nothing out of the ordinary in the scanner logs; this shouldn't have happened.

ODD  
Oh really, that's a shame. Because I TOTALLY woke up this morning wanting to become a giant cat!

AELITA  
Don't get mad at Jeremie. For all we know it wasn't his fault.

ODD  
Who else could it have been? He's the one that operates the supercomputer!

AELITA  
We devirtualized ourselves, Odd.

ODD  
Are you saying that it was you, then?

JEREMIE  
Odd you are being ridiculous. What possible reason would any of us have to bring your Lyoko avatar to the real world?

ODD  
And what reason did you have for me to switch bodies with Yumi? That was pretty ridiculous, wasn't it?

YUMI (O.S.)  
Odd!

Everyone except Jeremie turns to look at Yumi. She is pissed.

YUMI (cont.)  
I thought we agreed to never speak of that again.

ODD  
You did.

Yumi walks up to Odd to slap him. Odd instinctively raises his hands and summons a shield to block her. Everyone is very surprised, except for Jeremie, who is just fascinated by it.

JEREMIE  
Remarkable! Not only do you look like you do on Lyoko, you appear to have carried over your powers to the real world as well. This requires further study. Odd, get in a scanner-

ULRICH  
Studying Odd is going to have to wait. He and I have a math test in a few hours.

JEREMIE  
Now you're being ridiculous, Ulrich! Odd cannot leave the factory as long as he looks like this.

ULRICH  
I can run down to the dorms and grab him a change of clothes.

JEREMIE  
He has four-fingered hands and a tail! You can't just hide that!

ODD  
Maybe you can.

Everyone turns and stares at Odd as though he were dressed like a giant purple cat.

YUMI  
How!?

ODD  
In plain sight. Tomorrow's Halloween, right? I can go to class like normal, and if anyone asks I can say that this is my costume.

YUMI  
That's insane, even for you.

ODD  
What looks more suspicious? Me going to class in a Halloween costume, or me just disappearing for a few days while Jeremie fixes the materialization program?

JEREMIE  
It may be insane, Yumi. But until I find a way to fix this, it's the best option we have.

Jeremie goes back to typing on his keyboard.

JEREMIE (cont.)  
Everyone leave, before I change my mind. We'll discuss the game plan tomorrow at breakfast.

Everyone except Jeremie walks to the elevator.

SCENE 3: YUMI'S LAMENT

INT./ISHIYAMA HOUSE - DINING ROOM, DAY

Akiko Ishiyama sits at her dining room table paying bills and processing mail when Hiroki walks up to the table and sits down next to her. Akiko sets down her pen and Hiroki immediately pipes up.

HIROKI  
Mom, Johnny just called and asked if I could go trick-or-treating with him tomorrow. Can I go please?

AKIKO  
Hiroki, we've been over this. Your father is going to be too busy with work and I'm staying here to hand out candy.

HIROKI  
But please!? It's only one time a year!

AKIKO  
It's not that I don't want you to have fun with your friend. It's that I don't want you wandering around the neighborhood at night.

HIROKI  
Please…

Hiroki gives his mother the puppy dog eyes. Eventually, Akiko relents.

AKIKO  
Fine.

Hiroki motions to fist pump but Akiko interrupts him.

AKIKO (cont.)  
But only if Yumi goes with you.

SMASH CUT TO:

INT./ISHIYAMA HOUSE, YUMI'S ROOM - DAY

Yumi sits on her bed as Akiko informs her of her new plans for tomorrow.

YUMI  
What!?

AKIKO  
I need you to watch Hiroki while he's out trick-or-treating with Johnny tomorrow.

YUMI  
I thought he was going to stay here and hand out candy with you.

AKIKO  
He was, but he just would not stop pestering me about it.

YUMI  
Why me?

AKIKO  
Your father has a work call and Johnny's mother says she isn't feeling well. Please, just do this for me.

Yumi crosses her arms.

YUMI  
Fine, but you owe me.

AKIKO  
Excuse me?

Akiko stares her daughter down in that special way only a mother can.

YUMI  
I mean, sure. I'd be glad to.

AKIKO  
That's what I thought.

SCENE 4: LYOKO STYLE

INT./ODD AND ULRICH'S DORM, NIGHT

Odd braces himself against the wall, digging his claws into his bed frame while Ulrich pulls on one of his bright yellow shoes. Ulrich is visibly struggling to get a decent grip. Kiwi watches them from the corner, wearing a tiny little domino mask on his little doggy face. Ulrich's grip slips and both he and Odd collapse onto their beds. Ulrich sits up and cradles one hand in the other.

ULRICH  
Maybe Jeremie had a point, this IS kind of ridiculous.

ODD  
Come on, man! I already had to bomb that math test with everyone staring at me. I don't need you making fun of me!

ULRICH  
The only one staring at you was Mrs. Meyer. Did you see the look on her face when you walked into the room?

CUT TO:

INT./MRS. MEYER'S CLASSROOM, DAY - FLASHBACK

Mrs. Meyer, jaw agape, drops a pencil and stares at Odd standing in the doorframe and beaming in all his purple glory.

BACK TO:

INT./ODD AND ULRICH'S DORM, NIGHT

Odd sits up and holds up one of his paws.

ODD  
Have you ever tried to hold a pencil with four fingers and no thumbs? It's not easy.

Ulrich gets up, makes a Vulcan salute and picks up a pen off of his desk. Odd looks like he's about to speak, but instead he tries and fails to remove his shoe on his own.

ULRICH  
What's the deal with those shoes? They don't look that tight.

ODD  
It's not that they're tight. It's that they're a part of my body. Everything is stuck Lyoko style. Watch this.

Odd gets up and dumps a half-empty water bottle out over his head. He tries to run his hands across the surface of his hair and it does not budge at all; his hair has become a single solid cone of material. Ulrich just stares for a minute before speaking.

ULRICH  
That, is pretty scary. It's kind of appropriate for tomorrow.

ODD  
Sure it is.

Odd flops onto his bed.

ODD (cont.)  
But I just hope that Jeremie can fix this by then. I don't have an explanation for the day after.

Odd turns away from Ulrich onto his side and buries his face in a pillow. He uses his tail to flip the lightswitch.

CUT TO COMMERCIAL


	3. Act 2

SCENE 5: WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN

INT./KADIC CAFETERIA, DAY

Odd and Ulrich walk into the cafeteria, which has been decorated for Halloween with orange and black streamers, plastic pumpkins, fake cobwebs, etc. All of the students are wearing Halloween costumes of all shapes and sizes, Ulrich's vampire costume included. Ulrich gets in line while Odd goes to sit at the team's usual table where Jeremie and Aelita, in costume as Bill Nye the Science Guy and Sailor Moon respectively, are already seated.

AELITA  
Not hungry today, Odd?

ODD  
It's more that I don't have a stomach anymore. I think I'm just kind of hollow on the inside.

Odd grabs a croissant off of Jeremie's plate and takes a bite out of it.

ODD (cont.)  
I can't even taste this croissant. It's a waking nightmare.

AELITA  
Then why are you eating it-

Jeremie grabs the croissant out of Odd's hands. His glasses slide down his face.

JEREMIE  
It's a nightmare for ME for the entire school to see your Lyoko avatar in broad daylight. Do you have ANY idea how lucky we are that this happened so close to Halloween?

ODD  
Yeah, I know. And I also know that if you don't find out how to fix this by tomorrow we're in big trouble. So did you find anything?

Jeremie pushes his glasses back up his face.

JEREMIE  
Yes, I think. Kiwi did some damage to your scanner when he was possessed by Xana.

AELITA  
We can reroute the signals to put you back in your original body, but in order to do that I have to go to Sector Five to access the firmware for the materialization program.

ODD  
Like when I switched bodies with Yumi?

CUT TO:

INT./ISHIYAMA HOUSE - DINING ROOM, DAY - SIMULTANEOUS

The Ishiyamas are sitting down to breakfast. Yumi is getting a glass of water from the sink when her eyebrow twitches, like someone is discussing things that they swore to never discuss.

BACK TO:

INT./KADIC CAFETERIA, DAY

JEREMIE  
Yes. Like that.

ODD  
But that was a random bug. If it's a hardware problem this time, can't you just replace the wiring on the defective scanner?

JEREMIE  
I wish I could. But I'm a computer programmer, not an electrician. I will do the thing that I know how to do.

ODD  
Okay then. After class today I can bodyguard her on Lyoko and-

JEREMIE  
No. If you're hollow in the inside, then I have no idea what will happen if I try to virtualize you and it's too risky to find out.

Ulrich walks up to the table and sits down next to Odd.

ULRICH  
Any progress on the Curious Case of the Cat Man, Dr. Shrenk?

JEREMIE  
Very funny, Dracula. We think we can fix it, but we have to go to Sector Five to do it. Can you meet Aelita and me at the factory after class today?

ULRICH  
Sure.

AELITA  
And can you ask Yumi when you see her? Neither I or Jeremie have been able to reach her cellphone.

ULRICH  
Yumi's gonna be a no. She told me that she has to take Hiroki trick-or-treating tonight.

AELITA  
Well that's unfortunate-

ODD (O.S.)  
AAAH!

Everyone turns to look at Odd and they see Sissi, dressed up like the Wicked Witch of the West and accompanied by her flying monkeys Nicholas and Herve, walking up to the table and "accidentally" stepping on Odd's tail.

SISSI  
Well, well, well. What do we have here? Dr. Shrenk and his newest horrible creation?

ULRICH  
Something like that-

Odd elbows Ulrich. Nicholas glances at Aelita.

NICHOLAS  
More like Dr. Shrenk and his lovely assistant-

Sissi elbows Nicholas and knocks his fez off of his head. Nicholas bends down to pick it up and Ulrich turns around to face Sissi.

ULRICH  
What do you want, Sissi?

SISSI  
I want you to know that you've been invited to be my guest to the costume party tonight.

ULRICH  
I'm going to have to pass. I have other plans.

SISSI  
Like what? Hanging out with those lameo friends of yours? Why would you do that when you could have a magical and breathtaking experience in the moonlight with me?

ULRICH  
The costume party is going to be inside on an overcast night.

SISSI  
Well, when I win the costume contest I want you to be there to see it.

ULRICH  
Get real, Sissi. Did you even LOOK at Odd before you stepped… into the room? He's gonna beat you hands down!

SISSI  
No way! My group costume is AMAZING! That cat you dweebs dragged in doesn't stand a chance!

Nicholas and Herve start making "amazing" monkey noises at Ulrich. Sissi facepalms and Odd prepares to wrap his tail around her leg when the bell rings.

EXT./KADIC COURTYARD, DAY

Students start pouring out of the cafeteria to go to class. Sissi leaves with Nicholas and Herve, same as they came in. Herve leans in Nicholas's ear.

HERVE  
You know, Odd's costume isn't that bad. He might have a decent chance of winning.

SISSI  
Don't compliment him!

SCENE 6: IT'S ALIVE!

INT./MRS. HERTZ'S CLASSROOM, DAY

Odd sits down at his desk next to Ulrich. His tail pokes through the back of his chair and several other kids point and whisper behind his back. Mrs. Hertz walks into the room with her hair done up like the Bride of Frankenstein followed by Jim Morales in the regalia of Paco the King of Disco carrying a box full of tupperware containers. The class stifles a laugh before Mrs. Hertz taps her nails against the chalkboard.

MRS. HERTZ  
Good morning, class. I see that you're all in a good mood, getting into the holiday spirit. But for the next hour, we must put that aside. Now is the time for-

JIM MORALES  
Della Robia! What on Earth are you wearing? Those sleeves are too short, those gloves are absolutely against dress code and- Wait a second. Is that at TAIL? March yourself down to the principal's office this instant!

ULRICH (to Odd)  
This really was a great plan, wasn't it?

MRS. HERTZ  
Jim, it's Halloween. Please, let it drop for one day.

JIM MORALES  
Sorry about that, Suzanne. It's a force of habit.

MRS. HERTZ  
As I was saying, now is a time for science. Jim, if you would?

Jim Morales walks around the room and sets a tupperware container on each desk. Each container has a dead frog, a medical mask and a scalpel in it. Odd looks uneasy as he receives his frog.

MRS. HERTZ  
Today, class. We are going to dissect these frogs so that you can observe the internal organs we've been discussing first-hand. Now, a frog obviously isn't the same thing as an actual human body, but it's as close as we can get without robbing the cemetery…

ODD (to Ulrich)  
If I had a stomach right now, I'd want to throw up.

Mrs. Hertz puts on a surgical mask and picks up a scalpel.

MRS. HERTZ  
Okay, class. Pick up your scalpel and do exactly as I do.

Odd picks up his scalpel and approaches the frog. But as soon as his scalpel makes contact with the creature, a spark runs down his glove and the frog leaps back to life. Everyone except Odd and the adults busts up laughing as Jim runs after the frog as it hops around the room. Mrs. Hertz sets down her scalpel, looking like she just can't even as she walks to Odd's desk.

MRS. HERTZ  
I don't know how you did that, Mr. Della Robia, but I know it can't be good. What do you have to say for yourself?

Odd shrugs and mugs for the camera.

ODD  
...it's alive?

SCENE 7: OUT OF ORDER

INT./FACTORY - SCANNER ROOM, THAT AFTERNOON

Ulrich and Aelita walk out of the elevator, where they discover Jeremie writing "OUT OF ORDER" in big, black letters on the doors of the scanner that Odd stepped out of.

ULRICH  
Isn't that being a little overdramatic?

JEREMIE  
It might be, but I don't want to take any chances. I tried to run a routine diagnostic check on that scanner last night and it gave me THAT.

Jeremie gestures towards the ladder to reveal a materialized Overboard leaning against the wall. Ulrich stifles a laugh.

JEREMIE (cont.)  
Anyway, how did Mrs. Hertz's class go?

ULRICH  
You wouldn't believe me if I told you. And about the-

JEREMIE  
No, it doesn't fly like on Lyoko.

CUT TO:

EXT./FACTORY FLOOR, NIGHT - FLASHBACK

Jeremie stands on the catwalk wearing a bicycle helmet, holding the Overboard and looking very nervous while Aelita encourages him to go for it.

BACK TO:

INT./FACTORY, SCANNER ROOM

JEREMIE  
As far as I can tell it's a solid brick of metal. Get in the scanners.

Jeremie grabs the Overboard and climbs up the ladder. Ulrich and Aelita step into the two remaining scanners and the doors close.

JEREMIE (O.S.)  
Transfer, Ulrich. Transfer, Aelita. Scanner, Ulrich. Scanner, Aelita. Virtualization.

EXT./LYOKO - FOREST SECTOR

Ulrich and Aelita manifest from wireframe in a clearing in the Forest Sector. Shortly after, the Overbike manifests in front of them.

JEREMIE (O.S)  
Here's your vehicle. Head for the edge of the sector and I'll send you the Transporter.

Ulrich and Aelita hop onto the Overbike and they speed off towards the edge of the sector. The Overbike skids to a halt at the edge of a lonely platform overlooking an infinite sky. Ulrich and Aelita step off and the Overbike disappears.

ULRICH  
We're here, Jeremie.

INT./FACTORY - SUPERCOMPUTER CONTROL ROOM

Jeremie's face is reflected in his monitor as a dialogue box pops up and the word "SCIPIO" appears letter-by-letter on the screen.

JEREMIE  
Excellent. I'm entering Code: Scipio.

EXT./LYOKO - FOREST SECTOR

The milky white Transporter Orb descends from the sky and scoops up Ulrich and Aelita before rocketing back towards…

INT./LYOKO - SECTOR FIVE, ARENA

The Transporter Orb arrives and blinks out of existence as it deposits Ulrich and Aelita inside the Arena. To their right, a circular hallway opens up. They run into the hallway and arrive at…

INT./LYOKO - SECTOR FIVE, LABYRINTH

Ulrich and Aelita stop at the end of a long, narrow hallway with the Key on the wall on the other end. They are completely alone. In the lower left corner of the frame, a timer appears and begins counting down from three minutes.

ULRICH  
Well this looks like a piece of cake. There aren't even any monsters to handle.

AELITA  
That's because Xana probably doesn't know we're here yet.

JEREMIE (O.S.)  
I'm sure that he will have some surprises for you once he detects your presence, so be careful.

ULRICH  
Relax, Einstein. We'll be in and out of here in five minutes. Xana won't even know we were here.

Ulrich turns towards Aelita.

ULRICH (cont.)  
Time me.

Ulrich Super-Sprints down the hallway and unknowingly presses down on a plate in the floor with his foot. He skids to a halt when a giant blue cube juts out from the ceiling right in front of him. All along the hallway, more columns start popping in and out of the walls and the ceiling, like a puzzle in a video game. Timer reads two minutes, thirty-four seconds. Aelita watches from the entrance with irritation on her face.

AELITA  
You just had to jinx it, didn't you?

CUT TO COMMERCIAL


	4. Act 3

SCENE 8: GET TO THE TOWER

INT./LYOKO - SECTOR FIVE, LABYRINTH

Ulrich has Triplicated and he and his clones are making a mad dash for the Key. One of the clones gets pinned against the wall, another slams into a column, and the real Ulrich staggers to a halt ten feet away from the Key with a pair of constantly colliding columns blocking his path. Aelita watches and taps her foot from the entrance. Timer reads forty-five seconds.

AELITA  
This isn't working and we're running out of time!

ULRICH  
If you have a better idea, I'd be glad to hear it!

Aelita summons an energy field and aims at the Key.

AELITA  
I think I've got one. Move over!

Ulrich draws his sabre and looks up. Timer reads 33 seconds.

ULRICH  
Uh, Jeremie? I think Aelita's about to shoot at me.

JEREMIE (O.S.)  
Whoa! Aelita, I get that you're frustrated but I don't think there's a reason to kill him yet.

AELITA  
I'm being serious. Move out of the way, Ulrich.

JEREMIE (O.S.)  
I suggest you do what she says.

Ulrich sheathes his sabre and presses himself against the wall. Aelita throws her energy field and hits the Key, pressing it in and stopping the timer at twenty-four seconds. A hallway leading out of the Labyrinth opens up behind Ulrich and he falls backwards into it. Ulrich gets up and gawks at the depressed Key.

ULRICH  
How have we never thought of doing that before?

JEREMIE (O.S.)  
I don't know. But we don't have time for stupid questions. Go!

EXT./LYOKO - SECTOR FIVE, THE CELESTIAL DOME

Ulrich and Aelita run out of the hallway into the Celestial Dome. Aelita summons the control panel and starts looking through the firmware for the scanners. Her eyes go wide and her mouth falls open.

ULRICH  
Aelita, what's wrong?

AELITA  
I think I found the problem with the scanners. Jeremie, do you remember the day that we had those driving lessons?

INT./FACTORY - SUPERCOMPUTER CONTROL ROOM

Jeremie places his hand on his chin as he looks through the code Aelita is sending him.

JEREMIE  
Yes, but what does that have to do with-

Jeremie is cut off by a loud bang from the scanners followed by inhuman screeching. His face goes pale as he gets up from the command chair and walks over to the ladder to investigate.

JEREMIE (cont.)  
Oh god no.

Jeremie looks down the hatch into the scanner room and recoils as a laser flies up through the hole and singes his wig. He screams and covers the ladder with the Overboard. He heads back to the command chair and pulls up the Superscan. His monitor starts beeping and flashing red as the Superscan registers an activated tower.

EXT./LYOKO - SECTOR FIVE, THE CELESTIAL DOME

Ulrich and Aelita look up at the sky as they hear the screams and the laser fire and the "OH GOD NO" through the microphone on Jeremie's headset. They look suitably freaked out.

ULRICH  
What was that?

Two Mantas emerge from the threshold of the Dome and start firing at Ulrich and Aelita. The Overbike manifests from wireframe and hovers next to the edge of the platform.

JEREMIE (O.S.)  
Activated tower. Head back to the Forest Sector. Aelita can explain on the way, I have to call the others.

Aelita dispels the control panel and she and Ulrich hop onto the Overbike. They race over to the data flow on the far side of the Celestial Dome and are transported to…

EXT./LYOKO - FOREST SECTOR WAY TOWER

The Overbike pops out of the Forest Sector Way Tower and attracts the attention of a group of Hornets. The Overbike speeds off into the sector and the Hornets give chase.

INT./FACTORY - SUPERCOMPUTER CONTROL ROOM

Jeremie opens the cellphone program and selects Yumi's character card.

SCENE 9: WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN?

EXT./ISHIYAMA HOUSE - FRONT DOOR, EARLY EVENING

Yumi and Hiroki walk out their front door dressed like the Bride from "Kill Bill" and Super Mario respectively, escorted by Akiko.

HIROKI  
Bye, mom!

AKIKO  
You two have fun, now!

Akiko closes the front door and her two children are left outside on the sidewalk by the road. Hiroki waves as Johnny's dad drops him off. Johnny steps out of the car wearing an identical Mario costume. As Johnny's dad drives off, he and Hiroki immediately start bickering.

JOHNNY  
Why are you Mario? I wanted to be Mario!

HIROKI  
When you called me yesterday, you said that I could be Mario!

JOHNNY  
No I didn't! I said that you SHOULD be Mario but my mom already bought me the costume!

Yumi looks in the direction of Kadic with pure misery in her eyes. Her cell phone rings and she digs it out of her pocket to answer.

YUMI (into phone)  
Hello?

JEREMIE (O.S.)  
I need you to get to the factory. Xana has activated a tower and the whole neighborhood could be in danger if we don't deactivate it soon.

YUMI (into phone)  
Are you kidding me? I have Hiroki and Johnny with me right now, what am I supposed to do with them?

JEREMIE (O.S.)  
Take them with you. We don't have time to wait.

YUMI (into phone)  
Now you're the one that's being ridiculous.

JEREMIE (O.S.)  
I know it's nuts, and any other day I would do everything in my power to avoid Hiroki messing with the supercomputer. But if I'm right about what Xana has in store, they need to be somewhere safe. Bring them.

YUMI (into phone)  
What exactly do you think is going to happen?

Yumi's mouth falls open and she nearly drops her cellphone. She yells over her shoulder for Hiroki and Johnny to be quiet and runs back into the house.

SMASH CUT TO:

EXT./ISHIYAMA HOUSE - DOWN THE STREET, MOMENTS LATER

Yumi runs down the street dragging Hiroki and Johnny along in one hand, the sword from the family's antique samurai armor in the other and her shoulder pressing her cellphone against her cheek. Akiko screams "What are you doing?" and "Get back here this instant!" while Yumi continues to talk to Jeremie on her cellphone.

YUMI (into phone)  
I'll get there as fast as I can. Where's everyone else?

JEREMIE (O.S.)  
Ulrich and Aelita are already on Lyoko and I can't reach Odd because his cellphone doesn't exist anymore. But I think I have an idea of where he might be...

SCENE 10: COSTUME PARTY

INT./KADIC CAFETERIA, NIGHT

Bobby Picket's "Monster Mash" plays in the cafeteria where the school costume party is in full swing. The costume contest is in progress on a catwalk in the center of the room; Millie and Tamia in slightly oversized Daft Punk helmets have just walked off the stage and Sissi is preparing to walk in front of the crowd. Odd stands by the punch bowl on the other side of the room, tapping his claws on the table and looking bored out of his mind. William walks over dressed like Michael Jackson in the "Thriller" music video.

WILLIAM  
What up, yo?

ODD  
Nothing, really.

WILLIAM  
Have you seen Yumi anywhere? Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen any of your friends all day. Where are they?

ODD  
They… had other plans.

William finally looks at Odd and does a double take once he notices his "costume".

WILLIAM  
By the way, that's a sick costume. But, what is it supposed to be?

ODD  
It's… from, from my new film that I've been working on. I call it "The Lyoko Code".

WILLIAM  
Cool, it sounds French.

ODD  
It's supposed to sound Japanese- what is that?

Odd points at the window. He and William look out at mysterious flashing red lights. Yumi bursts in through the door with Hiroki and Johnny in tow and panic in her eyes. She spots Odd from across the room and walks over to him.

WILLIAM  
Hey, Yumi! Where've you been? And what's with the pint-sized plumbers?

Yumi ignores William and pulls Odd aside.

ODD  
What gives? Aren't you supposed to be taking Hiroki trick-or-treating?

YUMI  
There's a Xana attack going on and Jeremie sent me to get you. Let's go.

ODD  
Is that what those lights outside were?

YUMI  
What lights? There shouldn't be any- Oh god no.

CUT TO:

EXT./KADIC COURTYARD, NIGHT - SIMULTANEOUS

Jim Morales stands outside the door to the cafeteria smoking a cigarette. He notices the red lights and screeching in the bushes and goes to investigate.

JIM MORALES  
Hey troublemaker! What's the bright idea?

No answer. The red lights continue.

JIM MORALES  
Don't make me come over there.

Still no answer, still more red lights.

JIM MORALES  
That does it.

Jim walks into the bushes and gets hit in the shoulder with a laser for his trouble. The laser burns a visible hole in his shirt. Jim screams and runs to the door.

BACK TO:

INT./KADIC CAFETERIA, NIGHT

Odd and Yumi talk in a corner by the punch bowl.

YUMI  
What lights? There shouldn't be any- Oh god no.

Jim runs in the door and collapses on the ground by the catwalk. The door hangs open and in walks a trio of Creepers. That is our Xana attack this time; there are Creepers in the real world and they are terrifying. One of the Creepers opens its giant mouth and spits a laser at Odd. The punch bowl shatters and everyone except Odd and Yumi runs around screaming.

WILLIAM  
What the hell is that thing?

YUMI  
Something that'll do you some major damage if you don't get out of here.

Odd aims his wrist and shoots a laser arrow at the fire alarm, sounding the bell and setting off the sprinkler system. The sound temporarily disables the Creepers. Sissi stands alone on the catwalks and screams as her green face makeup begins to run down her face.

SISSI  
I'm melting! Melt-ing! AAAAH!

Back at the punch table, Odd has tipped the table over and summoned a shield to block incoming laser fire from the Creepers. Hiroki, William and Johnny hide behind Odd's shield while Yumi crouches down to talk to Hiroki. She grabs him and makes him look her in the eye.

YUMI  
Hiroki, listen to me. Big sister has to go do something very important. I can't believe I'm saying this, but listen to Odd and do everything he says.

HIROKI  
But what are those things? I'm scared.

YUMI  
Nothing I haven't dealt with before. I can handle myself, just stay here.

HIROKI  
Let me help you.

Yumi gasps and stifles a shriek as a stray laser from a Creeper knocks Hiroki's hat off of his head.

HIROKI  
Actually, I think Johnny needs me. Good luck!

Hiroki runs to hide behind William. Yumi is irritated, but she takes what she can get. She turns to Odd.

YUMI  
Can you handle things here? I'm headed to the factory.

Odd salutes Yumi like he's in the Army.

ODD  
Cat man can do!

Yumi rolls her eyes and draws her sword and runs out the front door. William gets up from the floor to talk to Odd.

WILLIAM  
How are you doing those things with your arms?

ODD  
Like I said, it's the Lyoko code. Now get Hiroki and Johnny behind the table!

William does as he is told. Odd dispels his shield and puts a hand on his wrist to aim at a Creeper.

ODD  
Hey ugly! I've got a surprise for you! It's laser arrows to the face!

SCENE 11: ARE WE OUT OF THE WOODS YET?

EXT./LYOKO - FOREST SECTOR

Ulrich and Aelita ride the Overbike down a path in the Forest Sector while still pursued by the swarm of Hornets. Ulrich weaves in and out of laser fire while Aelita fills him in on what went wrong with the scanners.

AELITA  
When the scanners send you to Lyoko, the details of your real body are stored in short-term memory. They get recorded when you step into the scanner, and they get deleted when you step out.

Ulrich deflects a laser back at a Hornet with his sabre and nods.

ULRICH  
I follow you so far.

AELITA  
When Kiwi bit into the wires, he cut off one scanner's access to short-term memory. Without access to data about Odd's real body to connect to him, it defaulted to the avatar template stored in long-term memory.

ULRICH  
But why would Xana want to do that? It doesn't exactly help him if one of us has superpowers in the real world.

AELITA  
It doesn't. But it also lets Xana bring things from Lyoko to the real world. If you could read the data flow, you'd see that he tries all the time. But since Xana's monsters don't have bodies in short-term memory, the scanners try to access a file, they find nothing, and they materialize nothing.

Ulrich makes a sharp turn to follow the pathway. The Hornets try to follow but one of them slams into a tree and explodes.

AELITA  
But now that the scanner is working from long-term memory, it finds what exists on Lyoko and recreates it exactly in the real world.

ULRICH  
Hasn't Xana done this before? Like when you came to Earth? Or the day we had those driving lessons?

AELITA  
Those times it was a software exploit; it took Jeremie and I weeks to put together a patch. This time Xana did it the hard way.

ULRICH  
So what would happen if we tried to virtualize Odd? Could we get his real body back?

AELITA  
Doubtful. Without fixing the wiring, the scanner would just register Odd's avatar as his new real body and he'd be stuck like that forever.

Aelita nearly gets hit by a laser. She turns around and throws an energy field at the offending Hornet and destroys it.

AELITA  
Speaking of Odd, Jeremie! How are you doing at getting us some backup?

INT./FACTORY - SUPERCOMPUTER CONTROL ROOM

Jeremie has taken metal sheeting from the factory floor and placed it on top of the ladder to keep the Creepers from getting out of the scanner room. Jeremie is sitting on top of the plate to keep it in place, it jostles and jitters as it gets hit from underneath by laser fire. Jeremie adjusts his headset.

ULRICH (O.S.)  
Jeremie? We're almost at the tower. Got any updates for us?

JEREMIE  
I called Yumi. She says that she's on her way but she's trying to find Odd.

Yumi walks into the room carrying her sword in one hand. She sees Jeremie sitting over the ladder and looks mildly peeved.

YUMI  
Why is the elevator dead?

JEREMIE  
I disabled it to slow down the Creepers. Ulrich and Aelita need your help on Lyoko.

YUMI  
With no elevator, you're going to need to get up for me to do that.

JEREMIE  
The second I get up, the Creepers are going to start firing through the hatch. Can you handle that?

Yumi holds up her sword.

YUMI  
I fight these things on Lyoko every other week. I think I'll manage.

JEREMIE  
Alright, then. The second I get up; head down, give me the word and I'll start up the virtualization procedure.

INT./FACTORY - SCANNER ROOM

Yumi drops down the hatch and lands on top of a Creeper, impaling it through the back with her sword as she makes contact with the ground. Two other Creepers fire their lasers at her, Yumi blocks one and stabs the other through the mouth up into its Eye. The bad scanner opens up and another Creeper slithers out, only to be cut in half by Yumi. Before it can open up again, Yumi uses her sword to sever the cable connecting the bad scanner to the Supercomputer. Yumi sprints into one of the two good scanners and looks up toward the ceiling.

YUMI  
I'm in the scanner, hit it!

The lone surviving Creeper shoots at Yumi's scanner and just barely misses as the door closes. The scanner hums to life.

JEREMIE (O.S.)  
Transfer, Yumi. Scanner, Yumi. Virtualization.

EXT./LYOKO - FOREST SECTOR

Yumi manifests from wireframe and lands right next to the activated tower. She catches the attention of three Bloks and about a dozen Kankrelats. Yumi looks out over her opponents and draws her fans.

YUMI  
Oh, great.

Yumi throws one fan at a Blok and uses the other to block incoming laser fire. Ulrich and Aelita pull in on the Overbike still pursued by a lone remaining Hornet. As Aelita dispatches the Hornet with an energy field, Ulrich points over at a Megatank rolling up behind Yumi and opening up to charge its laser.

ULRICH  
Get ready to roll on three.

Before Aelita can respond, the Overbike roars as Ulrich floors it toward the Megatank.

ULRICH  
One. Two. Three!

Ulrich and Aelita leap off of the Overbike as it crashes into the Megatank and explodes in a shower of polygons as it knocks it over the edge of the platform into the Digital Sea. Yumi catches a fan and turns around to greet Ulrich and Aelita as they run up to her.

YUMI  
Took you long enough.

AELITA  
Same to you.

ULRICH  
Hey, we just saved you.

JEREMIE (O.S.)  
Quit bickering and get to the tower. I have other things to think about right now.

INT./FACTORY - SUPERCOMPUTER CONTROL ROOM

Jeremie stands over the ladder holding Yumi's sword and trying desperately to fight off the lone surviving Creeper. After much trying and failing to get in a good cut, the Creeper shoots the sword out of Jeremie's hands and knocks him on his back. Right before the Creeper can finish him off, Jeremie grabs the Overboard from behind the command chair and whacks it in the chin, sending it tumbling back down to the scanner room. Jeremie picks up the metal sheeting and puts it down over the ladder, using loose wiring to electrify the panel and keep it in place.

JEREMIE  
That should hold it, for now.

Jeremie sits back down in the command chair and adjusts his headset.

JEREMIE  
Hey, Yumi. Where's Odd? Having a superhuman cat man around would be really useful tonight.

EXT./LYOKO - FOREST SECTOR

Yumi backflips onto the top of a Blok and stabs an open fan into its vulnerable Eye. She leaps into the air as the Blok explodes and throws both her fans at a pair of Kankrelats, destroying them and catching the fans as she lands.

YUMI  
Stuck at the school with Hiroki. The Creepers got into the costume party.

SCENE 12: WAIT

INT./KADIC CAFETERIA, NIGHT

Odd is still exchanging laser fire with the Creepers while everyone else runs around screaming. Sissi hits a Creeper in the face with a broom and knocks it into the catwalk before Nicholas and Herve drag her out the front door. William shepherds Millie and Tamia behind the overturned table to join Hiroki and Johnny. Millie has taken off her helmet and, following her journalistic duty, has taken out a notepad and pen to attempt to interview Odd.

MILLIE  
It looks like you've seen these things before, do you know what they are?

ODD  
Get down! Do you want to get fried!?

Tamia pops up from behind the table still wearing her helmet.

TAMIA  
She's not going to quit. It'd be best for everyone if you just answer her questions.

Tamia's shiny chrome helmet reflects a laser into Odd's back. Tamia screams and ducks back behind the table. Odd, deciding that this timeline is already shot so he might as well have a little fun, decides to answer Millie's questions.

ODD  
I have seen them before. They're called Creepers, and as you've seen, they're real pieces of work. But even if they look dumb, they're really, really dangerous.

MILLIE  
But where did they come from? The same place as your superpowers?

ODD  
Sort of. You know that old car factory out by the river?

MILLIE  
Yeah, what about it?

ODD  
There's a secret room underneath the factory, like the Batcave. And in that secret room there's a giant computer with an evil virus called Xana in it. And the computer is so powerful that sometimes Xana causes problems in the real world. And when it does that, I have to go to the factory and go to a virtual world inside the computer to fight it.

A Creeper lunges at Odd's face. He wrestles it to the ground and claws out its Eye, disabling it. He tries to aim at another Creeper on the other side of the room and discovers that he's run out of laser arrows. Odd gets down on one knee and creates a shield big enough to cover his entire body.

MILLIE  
Like right now?

ODD  
Yeah, but it's usually not like this. Most of the time he possesses real people and gives them superpowers like mine. He has to have possessed you at least half a dozen times by now.

MILLIE  
And how did you find- Wait.

Millie holds her pencil in the air and her mouth hangs open; Odd has broken her little mind. William gets up and pulls Millie back behind the table just before a stray laser hits the wall behind her.

SCENE 13: TOWER DEACTIVATED

EXT./LYOKO - FOREST SECTOR

Ulrich, Yumi and Aelita have narrowed the field of monsters down to two Kankrelats and a single Blok. Aelita is hiding behind a rock and taking heavy laser fire from the Kankrelats. She tries to make her way around and gets hit in the face. Ulrich tries to run over to help her but the Blok hits him with its ice beam and freezes him mid-sprint.

INT./FACTORY - SUPERCOMPUTER CONTROL ROOM

Aelita's character card pops up on Jeremie's monitor and starts flashing red.

JEREMIE  
Aelita! You have just twenty life points left! If you get hit like that again, you'll be devirtualized!

EXT./LYOKO - FOREST SECTOR

Yumi dispatches the last two Kankrelats and places her hand on her temple. She begins to glow a soft white and so does Ulrich's frozen body. Ulrich's body flies through the air and impales itself in the Blok's vulnerable Eye, destroying the Blok and devirtualizing Ulrich in the process. Aelita gets out from behind her rock and runs into the tower.

INT./FACTORY - SCANNER ROOM

Ulrich falls out of a scanner and sees mountains of dead Creeper parts all over the room. Ulrich ignores them and climbs up the ladder only to slam his head into the metal plate and fall back down to the floor.

ULRICH  
What the hell, Jeremie!

JEREMIE (O.S.)  
Calm down. Aelita is in the tower and this will all be over soon.

CUT TO:

INT./LYOKO - TOWER

Aelita walks onto the lower platform of the tower, each ring lights up as she steps over it.

INT./KADIC CAFETERIA, NIGHT

Odd looks visibly uneasy as the three Creepers start closing in on his table.

INT./LYOKO - TOWER

Aelita glows blue and ascends to the second level of the tower.

INT./KADIC CAFETERIA, NIGHT

The Creepers charge their lasers and fire all at once. The combined force of their blasts break Odd's shield and knock him into the table. William, Hiroki, Johnny, Millie and Tamia all scream in terror.

INT./LYOKO - TOWER

Aelita lands on the second level and summons a control panel. She enters "CODE: LYOKO" on the panel and looks down.

AELITA  
Tower deactivated.

INT./KADIC CAFETERIA, NIGHT

A Creeper hangs over Odd and charges its laser. Right before it can fire, its mouth goes dark and the Creeper goes limp, landing on top of Odd. Odd throws it off and staggers to his feet, followed by Millie running up from behind the table, notepad in hand.

MILLIE  
Did you just say that Xana possessed ME?

ODD  
Yeah. You, Tamia, Sissi, William, Jeremie, Jim, Mrs. Hertz. I think Hiroki and the Ishiyamas got caught up in it one time. Basically everyone at the school's been caught up in Xana stuff at least once. But you don't remember it.

MILLIE  
And WHY don't I remember it?

INT./FACTORY - SUPERCOMPUTER CONTROL ROOM

Jeremie sits in the command chair typing while Ulrich stands next to him.

JEREMIE  
We've got to do it.

ULRICH  
I don't know. Having someone with superpowers on Earth is kind of useful, and I like the idea of having this thing as a mantlepiece.

Ulrich gestures toward the Overboard and Jeremie facepalms.

JEREMIE  
Don't be ridiculous, Ulrich. Our cover's blown out of the water and we need more time to find a way to fix Odd. We have to do it.

Ulrich crosses his arms.

ULRICH  
Fine.

Jeremie hits the enter key.

JEREMIE (cont.)  
Return to the past now.

A blinding white light emerges from the supercomputer: engulfing the command room, then the outside of the factory, then Akiko Ishiyama talking to a police officer outside her house, then an enraged Millie being pulled off of Odd by Tamia and Johnny while William and Hiroki roll on the floor laughing in the background.

FADE TO WHITE


	5. Epilogue

SCENE 14: EPILOGUE

INT./KADIC CAFETERIA, DAY

Jeremie, Aelita and Ulrich, back in their normal attire, are sitting at the team's usual table having breakfast.

ULRICH  
So rather than just retract the ladder, you decided to pull up the plating in the floor and rip wiring out of the floor and WELD it in place.

JEREMIE  
Yep, that's basically what happened.

AELITA  
Knowing that you had three people virtualized and a dead elevator and a Creeper in the scanner room, you decided to do this.

JEREMIE  
Yes.

Ulrich points his fork at Jeremie.

ULRICH  
You do realize that ripping wires out of place is what got us into that mess with Odd, right?

JEREMIE  
We were going to have to return to the past anyway. Speaking of, where is Odd this morning? We still haven't brought him to the Factory to fix him.

ULRICH  
That kind of took care of itself. He woke up this morning and he was back to normal. I think we just returned to before he got stuck like that.

JEREMIE  
There's no way fixing it was that simple.

The sounds of a door opening and spontaneous laughter are heard from across the room. Jeremie raises an eyebrow and Ulrich stifles a laugh.

ULRICH  
If you don't believe me, here he comes now.

Odd, wearing a rough facsimile of his Lyoko avatar complete with cat ears and a fake tail, sits down next to Ulrich and digs into a massive plate of food. It is massive even by Odd standards. Jeremie takes off his glasses and wipes them off and puts them back on again because he cannot believe his eyes.

JEREMIE  
Odd?

Odd looks up at Jeremie with his mouth full of pancake.

ODD  
Good morning to you too, Einstein. What's up?

JEREMIE  
You do realize that it's not Halloween again until tomorrow, right?

ODD  
I know that, but after giving the costume a test run I couldn't resist.

ULRICH  
I tried to stop him, but he just wouldn't listen.

JEREMIE  
You have got to be kidding me.

Jeremie facepalms while everyone else at the table laughs.

THE END


	6. Afterword

Wow. Just, wow. Way more people ended up reading this than I was expecting. I don't know whether to be delighted or alarmed.

The genesis of Cat Man Do came while listening to Return to the Past: A Code Lyoko Retrospective, a podcast which has been going through and rewatching Code Lyoko episode by episode. One of the hosts commented that "Attack of the Zombies" was as close as the series got to having a Halloween episode, and I thought "I can do better than that.". And three days and 7000+ words later, I had a finished draft. The idea was simple; this was a script for a "missing episode" that Cartoon Network had commissioned so they could have a Halloween special, but it had to be shelved because Moonscoop got word of it and told them that they were not allowed to use the Code Lyoko name or any of the characters in an original production. Once I had the idea of "Odd gets stuck in his Lyoko outfit and he has to pass it off as a Halloween costume", the rest came to me pretty quickly.

I have never written fanfiction before, and I don't know that I will do so again. But I am genuinely humbled and delighted that my work has found an audience. Thank you.


End file.
